


Window watching

by Zoya113



Category: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: F/M, Gift Fic, I probaBly messed this up very badly dnnsf, If all I do is write gift fics um., bee is carols daughter, leave me be, uhh they r sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:34:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27226615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zoya113/pseuds/Zoya113
Summary: Carol and Ken try to figure out why Schaeffer is acting so strange when she comes to visit
Relationships: Carol Davidson & Colonel Schaeffer, Carol Davidson/ Ken Davidson
Comments: 3
Kudos: 8





	Window watching

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LetMePukeInYourMouthEm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetMePukeInYourMouthEm/gifts).



> I am so sorry for how butchered this feel I couldn’t nail the vibe in the end 😔😔 some bg chara content just a silly little gift fic for a buddy

“Are you sure you don’t want to eat at the table with us, Claire?” Carol offered, clasping her hands together once her sister had taken the plate she had prepared for her. 

Schaeffer simply shook her head. “I’m just fine here, thanks,” she spared Carol a quick glance as she spoke before turning to the window again. 

Carol gave an anxious laugh in response, pattering back towards the kitchen where Ken had been waiting for her.

“She said no?” He asked.

Carol shrugged. “That’s alright, I’m sure she’ll come and chat with us when she’s ready. Sometimes she’s just got her own way of doing things!” She lead the way back to the table, pulling out her chair with a sigh. 

She didn’t want to worry Ken of course, but she was a little sad that Claire wasn’t coming to eat with them, especially considering how rarely she visited. 

“That’s not just- another silly Schaeffer thing is it?” Ken proposed curiously. “Like, you said she used to climb the backyard tree, or just go lie in the dirt?” 

Carol shook her head. “Nope. Usually she’s very energetic. But she’s just been sitting by that window since she got here! And you know she doesn’t visit for very long.” She was making sure to keep her voice down so their guest didn’t overhear them, and gestured for Ken to do the same. “Maybe she’s just tired. It must be a long trip to Hatchetfield,” she suggested again, mostly to convince herself. She didn’t know the day to day goings on of her sister’s life at PEIP, but some times things really got her down.

“Why don’t you just ask?” Ken blinked, gesturing over his shoulder like he was about to go do that now.

Carol laughed, holding a hand to her mouth. “Oh I don’t think you’ll get much out of her,” she leant forward curiously, eyeing the direction of the living room. 

“What? Why not. You haven’t considered asking! She might have lots of information to share,” Ken was teasing her mostly, they both knew she was probably right.

“Because-“

“Because she hates me, oh yeah I forgot about that,” he scratched his head thoughtfully for a second before laughing, still in good spirits. “Because she hasn’t made that quite clear just yet.” 

Carol laughed into her hand, shaking her head. “Oh I suppose. That’s such a strong word though it’s not hate it’s just-“ she took a moment to remind herself of the way Schaeffer had greeted him when she had arrived earlier that day - by hitting him in the shoulder and grunting. “Okay so. Maybe she’s not too keen but hey, she doesn’t like many people so you aren’t missing out!” Although she would love it if the two of them got along. Schaeffer could shout pretty loudly when it came to arguing, and Ken was rather firm on the fact aliens didn’t exist despite what her sister liked to insist.

“Well let’s hope she lets us in on that secret eventually. That’s our couch, now where are we gonna sit?” He joked again, casting a glance back towards the living room where Schaeffer was still staring out the window. “Wanna place bets?” 

“Hah!” She gave an amused and well meaning roll of her eyes. “Oh. Knowing her she’ll probably just be watching out for squirrels or something. She’ll get bored by the evening.”

“I bet she’ll be there all night,” he exaggerated, nodding his head. “Gotta watch out for night squirrels you know!”

“Oh don’t say that,” she waved a hand. Although she liked it when he was funny. “Bring that up and you definitely won’t get the answer,” she snorted. 

He clicked his tongue in resignation. “Well. I wanna find out what the story is,” he glanced her way again. 

Carol gave him a well meaning but warning look. “I know she gets bothered very easily but please promise me you’ll leave her alone,” she frowned. “I’d love for her to visit more often.”

“Don’t worry, dove!” Ken shook his head. “I won’t do anything to get in her way,” he promised with a firm nod of his head.

“Oh, thank you dear, that really does mean a lot.” She rubbed her arm anxiously. “She’s my sister. I’ll handle it if anything comes up okay?” She assured him. 

“It’s alright, I trust you, love,” he took her hand so she would stop scratching at her skin. “And hopefully we’ll just have another funny Schaeffer story to tell next time we’re visiting my parents.”

She gave a relieved laugh, about to lean into him when there was a knock at the door. 

She shared a confused look with Ken before he left to go get it. 

He was just opening the door when Schaeffer barrelled into the hallway like she was about to start a fight, making Ken jump.

“Oh my goodness,” Carol clapped a hand to her chest at the noise it made, but Ken just stepped aside to let their daughter Bea in. 

‘Sorry - forgot my keys,’ the younger girl signed. 

“Don’t open the door for strangers,” Schaeffer managed to mutter, quite pale. She lifted her hand to wave to Bea before storming back to the window. “Let me handle the door!”

Carol slunk back over to Ken to wrap an arm around him as Bea left to go drop off her school bag. 

“Let’s leave her alone for a bit,” Ken suggested, and for the rest of the afternoon she rarely left the window side. 

“See? My bet is still on her staying there all night,” Ken pointed out when they were getting ready for bed. “I just walked past the living room and she was still watching.”

“Oh she’ll get bored. I bet she’ll beat us to breakfast in the morning,” Carol didn’t mind what her sister was up to as long as she was here. “I’m just worried perhaps something is wrong and she isn’t telling us,” she confessed. “Usually she’s just- up and about. She didn’t even try to tackle you when she came over this time,” she tried to laugh off her worries but Ken caught her frowning. She turned the other way. “Are you still alright to drop Bea off to school tomorrow morning?” 

“Of course,” he confirmed as he finally got into bed, fussing with the sheets. “I bet it’s just squirrels,” he tried to comfort her.

She thwacked him playfully and lightly with the side of her hand, snorting. Yeah. That was probably the case. “Stop mentioning the squirrels.”  
———————————————————

Admittedly, Ken was slightly nervous about that morning. It was always a little bit awkward to be alone with his sister in law however, contrary to what Carol had said, Claire had not beat them to breakfast at all. 

She was still in the living room on the couch by the window, head resting on her arms. 

He stood silently in the doorway because he couldn’t tell if she was awake or not. 

“Uh, colonel,” he addressed her, because he was especially frightened of getting on her bad side if he happened to wake her. “I made you some coffee.” 

She jolted awake, on her feet at once like she was about to fight Ken. He almost dropped the coffee he was holding. “Oh,” she dropped back down to the couch in a half awake stupor, rubbing her eyes. “Thanks. I thought you were-“ she hung her head for a second with a yawn and he thought she had fallen back asleep, so he took it as his chance to get out of there, hurrying back to the kitchen and almost crashing right into Carol.

“Good morning!” He greeted her, breathless. “She’s not up yet. Properly.” 

“Oh, she’s still there?” She tried to peer past him but he was a little too shocked to move himself aside. She didn’t say anything more but he could sense her worry, and caught her hand, rubbing it with his thumb. 

“She’s just tired. I think she was up late. She’s fine, dear,” he promised. “How about you take her to work today?” He suggested. He was also a bit scared of leaving her home alone in their house. He was about to take it back when he remembered Schaeffer wasn’t big on books, but Carol was considering it. 

“Maybe that’s a good idea. I’ll offer.” Her hand brushed over his shoulder as she passed by him into the living room, where the colonel lifted her head in a sleepy morning greeting. “Hi, Claire.”

She blinked in acknowledgment, sipping at her coffee and stretching a leg out in front of her. 

“What’re you up to today?” She asked, and Ken leant in to watch.

“Business,” she said, turning back to look out the window. “What about you?”

“I’ve got work at the library today, did you wanna come with me?” She asked, her voice a bit more fragile than usual. “We can go walking on my lunch break.” 

She made a face like the idea bothered her. “What, and sit around and read books in the mean time?” She joked. “I think I’ll stay here.”

Carol blinked, lingering in the living room for a moment. “Oh? What business are you getting up to?” She tried to ask

“Just important things,” she took a sip of her coffee instead of answering, and Carol nodded before skittering back to Ken to grab his arm. 

“You wanna see if she’ll come with me?” He tugged at his collar. He couldn’t imagine that would be very fun but at least she knew some of his employees. 

“Oh well I don’t want to bother you, love,” she sighed, deep in thought as he rested his hands on her shoulders.

“It’s not a bother to me!” He assured her. If it would help her calm down he would definitely bring her along. “I’ll ask!” He promised, taking a second to actually build up the nerve before stepping back in. “Hey,” he drew it out an uncomfortable amount, waiting for her to turn to him but she kept her eyes on the window. “Schaeffer,” he tucked his hands into his pockets. “You just gonna sit here today?”

She nodded. 

“Did you wanna come to CCRP with me instead, maybe?” He suggested as casually as he could. “See some of your pals?”

She shook her head. “Tell them I say hello,” she raised her hand in a small wave. “And watch out going to work,” she added to the both of them. “Be safe,” she was very firm about it like they really had much choice. “You should take the other road today.” And then she fell silent again, having nothing else to say.

Ken could feel Carol tense up under his arm. “Is there- is there something wrong out there? Something interesting?” Ken blurted out, glancing out the window to see if he was missing something. 

Schaeffer gave him an incredulous look. “Aren’t you supposed to drop your child off to school?” She reminded him like he had forgotten. He supposed she had had enough talking.

He sighed as he ushered Carol back out. “Hey, you don’t have to worry, sweet,” he rubbed a hand over her shoulder but her eyes were fixed on the floor. “I’ll handle her, okay? You hurry off to work and everything will be fine by the time you’re home. Alright?” 

She nodded, then shrugged, then nodded again, leaning up to kiss him goodbye. 

“I’ll handle it!” He promised her one more time before she had to leave. 

Alright. Admittedly, Ken was just a little frightened of Schaeffer on a usual day. But apparently she had found a new home in their living room because she had barely left it, and she had been here two days now. At least he didn’t have to be scared of her chasing him or anything - although that would probably solve the problem. 

“Can I get you anything before I head out?” He asked as he leant against the wall. 

“I’m fine, Ken,” she spared him another glance. “I’m very busy.”

He couldn’t tell if that was just an excuse not to talk to him or if she was up to something strange. “You’re worrying Carol, you know.”

“Oh I tell her she worries too much. Would she prefer me to start climbing trees again?” Her laugh was a bit lilted like she had forced it. “She doesn’t have to worry about me.”

Unfortunately it wasn’t that easy. “I think it would be nice of you to maybe join us for dinner,” he changed topics. “Maybe you can practice your signing with Bea and Carol!” 

“Uh-“ she paused as a door opened up across the street, and she whipped right back around to the window, watching as one of the people from down the street left to walk his dog. 

“Well, um. I’ve gotta head out now, I have to drop Bea off,” he pointed over his shoulder to excuse himself but Schaeffer shook her head. 

“Hold it,” she told him, watching intently until the man was out of sight. “Be careful at work,” she told him as he was leaving. 

“Oh, thank you!” He was surprised to hear her say that.

She gave him a funny look. “I’m serious,” she said. 

From behind him, Bea tapped him on the shoulder to remind him it was time to leave for school, and he had no other choice but to hope the problem sorted itself out before Carol could worry anymore.  
———————————————————

Quite frankly by nighttime, Ken was ready to board up that window if that was what it took to get Schaeffer up. 

He was sure it was just something silly - it always was with Schaeffer. She had probably just seen a nice dog walk by and was keeping an eye out for it or something stupid like that. But carol was stressed, and she was clearly trying not to worry out loud, and that was what was worrying him. 

“Once when we were kids she broke her hand and she still went to school,” Carol eventually brought up, playing anxiously with her fingers. “It’s just, what if she’s hurt herself? She’s the type to try and walk off a broken leg.” 

“Well she hasn’t been walking anything off,” Ken huffed, upset the colonel was not collaborating with him, but he was quick to apologise when he realised that was probably not the right thing to say. “I don’t think she’s broken anything, dear! Did you see how fast she ran to the door the other day?” He wanted to promise. “You know your sister. She’s probably just found some new hobby.” 

“Ohh,” she was still fiddling. “But usually she does her pushups or a morning run. I even miss it when she gets mad and has to pace back and forth until she cools off! I just don’t think it’s very like her, I’ve only seen her like that when she’s working really hard.” She rubbed her neck, clearing her throat like she was deciding whether or not to talk. “I’m worried she might not be doing well mentally?” She suggested like she needed someone to validate her idea. “I’ve just never seen her so still. I suppose.” She was still rubbing her neck, and Ken gave her a moment to voice her thoughts. “She didn’t want to visit her friends at CCRP, and she hasn’t been doing her exercises or joining in on conversation, and you know she’d never admit if she was feeling down.” 

“Maybe she’s on a stake out for ghosts!” He tried to cheer her up before she could start panicking even more. That sounded Schaeffer-esque enough. “If she still has it in her to argue with me then she can’t be doing that bad!” 

“Mm, yeah,” Carol nodded, head still hung. “That sounds like something she’d do,” she managed to laugh, shaking her head to try and brush off the worry. 

He took in a breath. There wasn’t much he could do, honestly, unless he was willing to wrestle the colonel away from the window himself. Although he would if it continued any longer, he hated how nervous she was getting, it worried him. 

They had attempted to sit with her in the living room but she had simply told them they couldn’t watch TV and didn’t pitch in so much as a word conversation wise. She just sat there by the window, watching. 

It bothered him that she wasn’t willing to contribute when she was so worrying her sister. 

“Have you told her she’s worrying you?” He asked.

“Oh well, I wouldn’t want her to worry about me though!” She fretted.

Ken gave her a look. “Well, dear, don’t you think it’d help though?” Quite frankly he valued his wife’s feelings over the colonel’s, and he wished Carol could see she was clearly doing worse off than her sister. 

“Listen,” he told her, rubbing his eyes and placing his glasses on the nightstand. “If she isn’t up, first thing tomorrow I’ll intervene,” he promised once more. 

“What’ll you do?”

Well, she had explicitly made him promise not to bother her so he hadn’t quite figured it out just yet. “Something,” he said, just to make her happy.  
———————————————————

“Oh, Carol. What’re you up for?” 

Carol was surprised too, to see her still staring out the window. What could there possibly be to look at when she couldn’t see any further than the end of the yard? “Oh, I just wanted to check in on you,” she explained with a sleepy and quiet laugh. “Why are you up? Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m doing a very important job,” Schaeffer simply said.

“Well I’m not quite sure what you mean by that, I’m sorry,” Carol confessed. “It’s two in the morning, don’t you usually wake up at six?” 

“Mm, important business,” she countered. “I’m not on the barracks, I can wake up whenever I like.”

“Well Ken said you didn’t look like you had much sleep last night either. Is everything alright? You aren’t sick, are you?” She asked gently, not wanting to upset her. She was quite aware Schaeffer didn’t always like being questioned. 

“You don’t have to worry so much about that. I’m perfectly fine,” she announced, stretching her back and yawning. 

“Nothing bad has happened at work has it?” She was trying not to interrogate her with the questions, but Schaeffer had never been like this before. She was of course never open about how she was doing, but if something was wrong Carol wanted to help. 

“No, no. Everything is fine,” she nodded. “Shouldn’t you be getting some sleep?” 

“Oh but that’s the problem, you always that. Are you sure everything is going alright? You aren’t just saying that are you?” She tried to be a little more direct about her worries in hopes she would catch on. “You know how sometimes people feel extra down and have a hard time getting things done? Do you feel like that?” 

“No, I feel fine.”

Carol shut her eyes and hit down on her lip. Bold of her to assume Claire ever knew what she was feeling.

“I’m just focused on something right now. I’m doing an important job, and you don’t have to worry about me.”

“Easier said than done, Claire,” she gave a defeated chuckle, rubbing her eyes and rising from the couch again. “Just, you’d let me know if I could ever help you with anything right?”

“You can help me by getting yourself some rest, Carol,” she suggested, taking her eyes off the window and finally turning to face her, the silver of the moon catching the side of her face. Carol couldn’t quite read her expression, but at least she wasn’t frowning. “You look like you need some.”   
———————————————————

That Saturday morning as they both sleepily made their way to the kitchen, Ken noticed Carol leaning on him ever so slightly, clinging to his arm and rubbing at the dark circles under her eyes. 

She hadn’t said anything, but Ken knew what she was worried about.

He was listening out for any sounds that might suggest Schaeffer was already up and moving, and the both of them were so distracted neither of them noticed she was already in the kitchen until they turned the corner.

Ken clapped a hand to his mouth, the other tightening around Carol to make sure she was alright. 

“You’re up!” She gasped, waking up properly in almost an instant.

Schaeffer nodded, staring at them, dumbfounded. “You look like you didn’t get much sleep.” She had her jumper tied around her waist and looked like she had been up for the past few hours. There was a thin layer of sweat on her skin and when she went to wipe her forehead there was a smear of blood left behind that she didn’t even seem to notice.

“So. no more window watching,” Ken gulped under his breath to Carol. 

“Definitely not a broken leg,” she mumbled back, just as confused.

“You know I can hear you right?” She asked, scratching her neck. 

Ken held onto Carol’s arm tighter - mostly out of fear. 

“Well what’re you doing up! I thought you weren’t well! Are you okay!” Carol came up to her to give her a hug that Schaeffer didn’t quite reciprocate but at least she offered Carol’s shoulder a pat. 

“I’m fine. Of course I’m up, I’m all finished working. I told you not to worry.”

“Working on what?” He had the courage to ask since Carol was standing between him and her. “You’ve just been sitting down.”

“You slept through it?” She asked in surprise. “That’s good.” 

“Slept through what?” Carol titled her head. 

“Oh, I can’t say. It’s probably classified. But you don’t have to worry about it anymore, you’re safe.”

“Safe?” Ken echoed. “We were unsafe before?” He finally stepped forward just to reunite with Carol halfway.

“Eheh,” Schaeffer rubbed her forehead again. “You know that guy at the end of the street- brick house?” She gestured over her shoulder and they nodded. “Yeah. So. Murderer. Don’t worry about it.”

Ken felt like he tripped on nothing, but all of a sudden he was gripping onto the kitchen table just a little too hard. He only lifted his head again just to double check Carol was in fact still with him. 

“No, I feel like that’s something I should worry about?” Carol managed to stammer

“Oh- he’s handled though. Consider it taken care of.” She paused to snort. “The look on his face though. I’ve been waiting so long for that guy to step out!”

“Uh,” Carol managed to exclaim. Ken was just as speechless.

“Murderer or not- legal issues,” Schaeffer clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. “‘No Schaeffer, you can’t just knock his door down,’” she said like she was mimicking somebody else’s voice. “I had to wait for him to leave his house. Yeah. Three day stakeouts, terrible for my back.” She stretched her arms out, letting out a sigh and shuffling over to the coffee machine to pour herself a cup like this had all just been a very nonchalant discussion. 

“A-“ Carol couldn’t say it. “What? Oh no, you’re kidding,” she frowned. “The brick house? We spoke to him when he moved in- he was so lovely.”

“Oh, he’s killed twelve people,” Schaeffer countered with a shrug. “It’s okay. He can‘t do that anymore.”

“Meaning?” Ken inquired hesitantly.

She look up at him, staring for a few seconds before answering. “Don’t think about it too hard. PEIP has it covered.” 

Ken and Carol were simply watching her potter about the kitchen now, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl and leaning against the counter while she sipped at her coffee. “I was dispatched to handle it because I had somewhere to stay where questions wouldn’t be asked. So. Don’t repeat that.”

They just stood there in shock. Ken didn’t think he could actually walk. “Murderer? Like a criminal?”

“Oh well let’s gather some context clues here shall we Ken?” She wiped her mouth as she put her coffee cup down. “Well. Great to see you again Carol. And you too, I guess, Ken,” she added the latter a lot more hesitantly. 

And without any proper goodbyes, she was suddenly on her way. 

“Your sister frightens me deeply,” Ken said honestly, staring at the door where she had just been standing seconds ago. 

“Oh sometimes she frightens me too,” Carol had to say, her hand still clasped to her chest. 

Ken came in to wrap his arms around her shoulders, his head resting on his own hands as he let out a deep sigh. Glad that was finally out of the way, although he wasn’t sure if that answer was as satisfying as he thought it’d be.  
“Well. That’s definitely not squirrels.”


End file.
